Software, weather, and politics, among other things.

iOS 11’s public beta came out earlier this week; I installed it yesterday. I do this not only because I like having the new features early, but also because Apple makes it super-easy to get feedback to their developers.

If you are thinking about running the beta (or are already doing so), keep this in mind (from the perspective of a software engineer):

Expect bugs. There are plenty of them.

If you absolutely rely on your hardware to get your work done, this is not for you. Wait for the final release.

If you find bugs, file them. This is your responsibility as a tester. The engineers at Apple need your feedback. Use Feedback Assistant early and often — it’s a really great reporting tool and only takes 5-10 minutes of your time. Give detailed bug reports, with clear reproduction steps if at all possible. Use screenshots liberally, and use the built-in screen recording tool (available via Control Center) to your advantage here, too.

Ensure feedback is constructive. There are people on the other end of your message, and you bet they are reading these reports.

“It’s broken” is not a bug report. It’s a colossal waste of time.

If your third-party apps have problems, don’t berate the engineers of those apps. File reports within Feedback Assistant; Apple will pass them along.

Have fun. The Summer of Bugs is not for the faint at heart, but it can be pretty rewarding!